Havanese vs Tibetan Terrier
Side by side
Havanese
Tibetan Terrier
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes4
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
Exercise
A modest amount
Class
Lap dog
Companion
Which suits you
Size
The Tibetan Terrier is much larger: about 11 kg (24 lb) as an adult, against 4.6 kg (10 lb) for the Havanese.
Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Havanese sheds through the year, the Tibetan Terrier moults most as the seasons change.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Havanese: a lap or leaning dog; Tibetan Terrier: affectionate on its own terms) and on independence (Havanese: keen to work with you; Tibetan Terrier: cooperative, with its own ideas).
Alike
Both are rated the same on loyalty: sticks close to its people.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Havanese
Companion & toy · Toy
In temperament the Havanese is lively, playful and affectionate, and closely attached to its household. It learns quickly and readily picks up tricks, which may explain its old circus work.
Tibetan Terrier
Companion & toy · Medium
In temperament the breed is lively, affectionate and loyal to its household, though often reserved with strangers.
Breed traits
Day to day
Havanese
Tibetan Terrier
Activity
Differs
Happy with modest walks
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Suits a first-time owner
Needs steady training
With people
Havanese
Tibetan Terrier
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Sticks close to its people
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Havanese
Tibetan Terrier
Sensitivity
Differs
Needs a calm, predictable home
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Tibetan Terrier grows to the heavier adult, about 11 kg against the Havanese's 4.6 kg.
Havanese
Tibetan Terrier
More comparisons
Compare the Havanese with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Havanese breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Tibetan Terrier breed standard. ↑
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 10Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 11American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 12
Parts of this page were written by AI ·